Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the
world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to
over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a
wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history,
humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced
features available, you will need to register first. Registration is
absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

I really do respect your views and I wish I could discuss this further with you, through this forum of course, since I am on the other side of the planet.

During my experience with Ki-no-kenkyukai (Ki Society / Ki Study Group), I've learned that Ki is not something that is supernatural nor it is mystical. On the contrary it is something very natural and we live with them day in day out even when we don't believe in it. The Japanese call this Ki, but there are many other explanations. Ki is the natural law of the universe.

Many people take different paths, and I believe that you, Tibbetts-san, has found your path.

I suggest reading "Life and Teaching of the Masters of the Far East" By Baird T. Spalding.

It might give you a little more insight of what you're searching for. Ki is a part of life as aforementioned. I believe it to be the very breath of life. As for myself, I'm a devout Christian and aikido does help me with my personal relationship with my God. This subject can go on and on and on....

My compliments and appreciation for your insights and your courage to share them. IMHO, many people find the same insights. It is hard, but not impossible, to find others to share these with. Some inside the Dojo, and some outside. Keep to the journey/quest.

Until again,

Lynn

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!

I would add my voice to the ones supporting you on expressing yourself and being open to finding your way, but I thought instead I'd raise some issues that hit me while reading your questions.

The first thing that struck me was that while you were once sure of your Way as an Atheist your are now becoming sure of your Way in AiKi. I wonder whether it would not be wise to see how temporal our beliefs are, and to remain open to the possibility that this, too, is a phase you will pass through. Just as the letting go of your Atheist past is made harder because of the way you clung to it and allowed it to mix up with your sense of self, so here, also, you are in danger (perhaps) of losing your Self in your Beliefs.

I guess that, for myself, I hope that AiKiDo will not be my final opportunity to discover that reality is much larger and more intersting than I had previously thought.

A second issue that came to mind reading your post is that while there is much to admire about Japanese culture, there is also much to abhor. While there have been long arguments back and forth about whether the Germans were 'culturally' suited for fascism or whether it happened there accidentally, fewer such arguments arise regarding Japan. The willingness to revere and to make our own selves small in the faith of Traditions, Customs, and even Objects can have many uncomfortable and even fundamentally evil consequences. I also have a deep respect for the Japanese sensibilities and aesthetics (such as I've experienced them), but I think it is important not to forget the other side.

I also congratulate you for having the courage to discuss such a sensitive subject in such a 'public' arena.

Four things which had the most spiritual influence on my life in aikido are:

(1) Doing the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola (I have done this a number of times, but the full 30-day retreat is something very special);

(2) Majoring in philosophy at university and taking it seriously, seriously enough to teach it here in Japan;

(3) Practising aikido at the hands of Kazuo Chiba Shihan, getting to know him, and discussing with him many of the matters you raise in this thread;

(4) Digging up my roots in the UK and deciding to make Japan my place of permanent residence.

This last was a major wrench in many ways and I would suggest that you test any fascination with Japan and its culture by coming here and seeing for yourself. Actually Chiba Sensei was in two minds about my coming to Japan. On the one hand, Japan was the source of aikido; on the other hand, much of aikido 'mythology' would be seen for what it is: actually you used a cruder term in your first post. In fact, however, he did the same thing in reverse, but for different reasons, of course. Not long after I arrived here, he went to live in San Diego.

Finally, I would ask if you have established a good relationship with a Japanese teacher, with whom you can discuss Japan and Japanese aikido/culture, and/or a teacher who fully understands and appreciates the value (and the depths) of aikido as a spiritual exercise?

I really liked this sentence. I also thought about the thread that's been going on recently discussing why black belt's seomtimes leave AiKiDo. In that thread I took the 'opposing' point of view and said that just as people come to AiKiDo when that is where their path takes them, they leae when their path takes them somewhere else. This isn't 'bad' (although it can be sad for those of us who stay). Often, it is more fruitful to see the wisdom and joy that they find in being open to the unexpected places their path takes them, then to bemoan their inability to see what AiKiDo could provide (or berate our inability as AiKiDoka to provide it).

Not too long ago, the main Ninjitsu teacher in Israel, who had hundreds of students and is an interesting, kind, and deep man, made the transition from Ninjitsu to Feldenkrais full time and dropped out of the Martial Arts world.

Always be open to your own need to look around and grow to places you would not have thought possible.

I've been close to where you were in my life. I didn't have any religion or feel any connection with the universe. The connections I felt in Aikido brought me to the realization of spiritual connections with other human beings, which lead me to seek a religious path. I spent a long time looking for the common treads between all religions and somewhere along the way I found the faith that I had lost as a child. I wish you luck on your own path to understanding.

Within each of us is the neccessity of finding balance so we are able to function in society without being a danger to ourselves or other.

The history of humanity proves that we do some pretty stupid things, and we create some awefully strange conditions that artificially support the human psyche to find this balance.

This is the complexity of finding or denying spirituality. We create a set of standards, practices, logic, and beliefs to balance and soothe this individual psyche.

The bottom line being, so long as you are not a threat to yourself or others, work within the morals of present society without endangering that society, you have a right to believe and live as you choose. Too simple?

You know ... anyone can complicate simplicity but making something complicated simple to understand, now there is a challenge.

With this simple set of guidelines, you can pretty much understand why people of different cultures have a variety of differences in their culture, beliefs, and why the problems of common life overcome our understanding of how to live in world with so many problems. Well ... we can't, not without some kind of firewall, to use a computer term, so that we can insulate ourselves from problems that would overwhelm us, create turmoil ... imbalance.

Sometimes I think we should have someone write reports on some of the threads we have in forums so we can have the readers digest of subjects discussed, and the best quotes from each discussion for future reference. It sure would save on recovering subjects year after year, although referencing previous information would allow us to see the progression of change in the forum posts ...

Oh, well.

If you deny religion, then you have it because you are denying something you have knowledge of, so I consider atheists some of the most religious people on earth. They are the first ones to 'Swear to god' when they think they will die, or some unbelievable miracle occurs.

Never mind.

It appears you have done much of the basic legwork in researching religion, you need to add in the psychological factor for humanitys well being, and you will have your answer.

Whether it is blind religious, or scientific religious, or merely socially educated to be polite to other human beings, all the explanations for religions are based upon two factors.

One: we need to balance the human psyche to be in harmony, or have balance.

How we decypher the data, the thoughts of the human we are, well that determines how we view religion, spirituality, and how we determine what that living being wants to be.

Vague?

Well, I don't have a photographic mind so I can't give you a scientific report that will satisfy everyone who reads this. How you find ways to apply what I think is right, well ... my opinion, my experience, you can use some of it, or find your own balance?

So long as we play nice, we should be able to find answers that work.

If I seem to be wandering, my little eyes are going to sleep. I will get back to you later.

Sorry if I was vague, but in my experience, the words seemed perfectly clear.

its great to hear that you thoughts are changing and in my opinion evolving.

the other day on the phone to a very dear friend of mine who lives in japan who i thought would be the last person to have a turn around has come to some similiar points of view as me and as you. it brought me great joy to hear him speak with interest about what is considered spirituality.

i have found that in both his case and my own, the quest into alternate eastern thoughts developed with a great dissatisfaction with the world around me and with the materialistic attitudes of many. for a long time i felt depressed and pointless, now upon reflection and a change in my thinking i find great reassurance and even some meaning for my own life.

i am curious, what brought about this change or development in your thoughts?

if you are finding it hard to discuss with others, dont worry. spirituality is a very personal thing for everyone and it is very hard to share with people and for others to share with you. some people can be quite discomforted by talking about it and reactions can vary.

i have been raised from a buddhist background and i personally find it very hard to discuss with my father particular aspects of spirituality as i get quite annoyed with him.

anyways all the best.

sorry about my long post, i know the longer the post the less likely it is to be read.

I ramble a lot of times... I just rambled with an old friend of mine that called me on a whim. We talked about life.

I see the problem you have communicating with your wife about this. It's like it might made her think that, "it's OK for you, but not for me."

I'm not married, but I don't believe I need to be in order to have this experience. I know exactly how you feel. And what I did then was just be honest and be sincere about it. Sit down and talk about it. This is quite an important issue in any relationship, marriage, friends, even associates. It will affect your life one way or another.

Since about a couple of years ago, I started having this type of conversations with many people. Some listened and get into a discussion, some ignored me, sometimes, some even despised me. But I needed to say what I needed to say.

In many of my conversations I contradicted myself several times. I might say one thing but then disagree with myself later on and then agree again. It's not that I can't make up my mind, being wishy washy, being a hypocrite, or having a split personality, it's that I see more than one side of the issue.

The reason I communicate different sides, it is because I don't want to be a hypocrite. What I say might be true and helpful in one situation, but it might be destructive in another. Life is dynamic, it is ever-flowing and changing. We might think of one thing, but then we are faced with a situation that demanded change. There are too many sides to see and too many decisions to make.

I have to be responsible for the things that I have done and what I have said.

I'm rambling again, I don't even remember what I was going to say.

People might see me having a holier-than-thou attitude. But it is quite the contrary, it is because I know that I am so imperfect in many ways, I am weaker than most (not talking strength-wise here), that made me have many of these conversations. Hoping that in one of these communications I would have some type of enlightenment.

Don't just talk with your wife about it, Tibbetts-san, communicate with her about it. Share your feelings. You are different then who you were 2 years ago. You might find some resentment, but only for a short while. I believe she might appreciate it more that now you could feel what she is feeling.

One of Aikido's strength comes from being able to empathize with others.

This is getting too long, and I just start rambling and others probably would not know what the heck am I writing about, what is my point. I am now lost for words... Just having indescribable (did I wrote that correctly) feelings. Perhaps due to the conversation I just had with my friend.

Here's a story that my sensei told me just yesterday. The priest and the sinner:

Quote:

Once there was a priest and a sinner. The priest one day told the sinner, "You must leave your sinful ways and repent or you will cetainly go to hell." The sinner in anger told off the priest, "Wether I sin or not, it is my business. How would you know for sure that I will go to hell. You are not God."

"It is how it is written. It is the only way that one will go to heaven," the priest answered back. Angered even more the sinner told the priest, "Heaven or hell, that is my problem with God, not with you. You have no right to decide if I go to heaven or hell."

Finally the time comes when they both have to meet God. God asks the sinner, "What have you done in your life?" The sinner replied, "Oh God, I know that I have sinned in many ways. I can only now leave my fate to Your merciful hands." God then said, "Before your death, you have repented truthfully and sincerely. You have asked for My mercy even before you died. For this you have earned the right for your place in heaven."

Then God turned to the priest, "What have you done in your life?" The priest answered, "Oh God, I have done all of Your biddings to earn my rightful place in heaven." Enraged, God said to the priest, "Is that why you have done my biddings, just to earn your right in My heaven. You didn't do it because of Me? Not because you are thankful?" In fear, the priest said, "But, that is how it is written." God then said to him, "You are arrogant and a hypocrite. Yet you think you have the right to tell that he (the sinner) will surely would not go to heaven. It is I who decide, not you. For this, you have earned your place in hell."

Unknown to anybody, the sinner had repented sincerely to God, begged for mercy and forgiveness. Nobody knew because he did it with his heart and soul before he died, not through any man or any words.

This story is not about how to get to heaven nor it is about religious practices. It is about us, the connection between people. People are quick to judge others by appearance or by what they have done in the past. But we never really know what is lying in their heart and soul. People change. And they will be able to keep changing until they die.

The story is about sincerity. The priest kept praying and doing all of the biddings, but was never sincere in the prayers nor in the deed, the goal is completely different. Without sincerity, the priest is just another hypocrite, the prayers and the deed became meaningless, even became sinful.

The sinner on the other hand, only with one sincere prayer, has earned the rightful place that at first he might not even had imagined.

I don't know if this has solved any problems, it's just a nice story on people, judegement, and sincerity that I wanted to share.

I really do know what you mean about selecting the people you "share your mind with". Some may take it the wrong way and get offended. Here, it is even more extreme, some of my point of views could be perceived as herecy, which makes me a heretic.

Even though I do not want to, I do get selective. Not that I do it on purpose, it's more like instinctual. I need to break that barrier, and able to communicate with anyone.

I can't stand idle chit-chat. Joking around is not a problem. But, conversation for the sake of making conversation, that is not me. When I'm having a conversation, there must be a purpose to this, not just idle chit-chat. That's why I do not make a good host nor a good salesman.

My mother always tells me that I'm anti-social, but that is not the case. If I don't feel like talking, then I won't speak. I'd rather stay silent than saying something that I might regret later on. When there is a purpose to the conversation, when that connection is made, I could go on until the sun rise the next day.

My parents understand me a little bit more now. The lessons I've learned while practicing Aikido have helped me communicate better. It's not good yet, but it's better. There still so much to learn.

The art of communication, something that I will be learning for the rest of my life. Actually, I'm going to write about the application of Aikido in communication for my shodan test essay. Come to think of it... it's due in less than 2 weeks.

I'd think it would be just the opposite: a very sincere apology and an admission that you had behaved like an arrogant fatuous and insensitive bastard might go a long way towards healing old wounds, no? It might be hard on your pride, but doesn't she deserve to know that you are know a beginner in a road that she has been walking for quite a while and that you are willing to respect and honor the insight that she has gained over the years?

Like others who have posted I also appreciate your posting on your "change of heart" (?).

It takes some nerve and courage to do so, especially when others (especially Significant Others) have built up certain expectations about what you say and think, and how you act.

I am a Christian. This is the path I walk. But I have non-christian friends who are also on a path to a greater sense of wholeness. As far as Bible reading goes, over the years I have found a wealth of material in both books. I guess, like others, I would like to share one book that has been an ispiration to me and that is Martin Buber's "I and Thou." If you ever come across this little book I think you will find very many things that are quite frankly very Aiki!

I saw your comment about your wife being into the native american experience, and although I am an outsider at the moment, I do understand some of the stranger things the average person does not.

Some people have a talent to feel energy, or get signals from their body that are about as mystical as birds and animals evacuating and area before and earthquake or a big storm. Hair on the back of your neck kind of thing, wierd but not weird.

Seeing dreams that are not dreams but glimpses of the future, the past, or connections to your subconscious mind trying to communicate wants or needs, these little gifts are considered outside the normal realm of common european industrial society, or considered things only a medicine man/ womam are supposed to know or do. Well, whether it is because of a genetic trait, being hit on the head, an illness that opens another part of the brain that lies dormant in most people, it is no less weird than trying to explain how to use Ki/chi in Aikido.

Atheist? No problem. Witchcraft? Only applys is you are ignorant to miss the scientific application, or are too lazy to find the magicians trick. Second sight? No more complicated than having your teeth act like a radio.

Speaking of radio, why can't there be other signals in the universe besides man-made signals recieved by electronic recievers?

Sensitivity? Some people's bodys acting like antennas? Who knows?

There are many things that exist in our universe, but we don't always know how to use them, describe them, or even understand them ... but there they are. How long did it take humans to use or understand electricity, when lightning has been around forever?

My pet peive is the absolute faith that denys anything is scientific, and it is an act of God. Might be, but then who or what is God?

I am sorry for those who draw a line in their religious beliefs, or have the all powerful faith that denys everything that they don't understand as a reference to the great power of their god ... why the hell is it everything we can't explain is the power of their god?

Oh, Well ... another subject for another day.

The spiritual effort, the understanding of things beyond the physical explanation of ordinary everyday life ... these are many of the questions we think to find the answer to when digging into ancient texts, or even in practicing Aikido, as it it was a means to an end. In some ways it is, and in some ways it is not. We use the crutch to gain the strength, and we need the knowledge to gain the strength.

Like most experiences, you encourage others to try things that you have learned from, but until others experience these things, they can not understand the meaning of your words.

Maps? Guides? Signs pointing the way?

Oh, Well.

If I have learned anything from being married it is ....

never protract an argument with your wife, you won't win until she comes to the conclusion she was right and you were wrong, even if it means for her to coming around to your way of thinking.

It's those damn rules about women always being right, even if they are wrong, and having the right to change their minds to suit the need to let them be right....You just can't win.

Enough rambling.

First rule of self is to please yourself with what you think is right, if it is right, everyone else will be pleased too.

If it isn't, just do what women do, change your mind until it is right.

As one gets older & experience more of life many of those black & white views that we hold as youths become grey.

Just have the courage to tell them as it is, listen to what they have to say, use your aikido blending skills to counter any verbal attacks caused by your old opinions. If they disagree don't try to ram your new opinions down their throats, learn from your past experience (Forgive me if I am wrong, but I've assume that you did this in your aethist days!). Respect their views & remain open minded because tomorrow you may find that some of what they are saying is also right.

There are many paths to the top of the mountain but only one summit.

One last thing (Since Bruce mentioned witchcraft) I've always thought that the wicca law of "An it harm none, do what you will" was a suitably apt motto for living.